Publisher Description

During the year 2000, the relics of Saint Thrse of Lisieux (18741897) toured throughout the United States-at once confirming and stimulating an extraordinary resurgence of interest in the life and work of a Carmelite nun known as the "Little Flower." In Thrse of Lisieux: Transformation in Christ, Abbot Thomas Keating reflects on what St Thrse understood the teaching of Jesus Christ to be. Thrse had an extraordinary penetration into the heart of Jesus' teaching, something she developed into a program for daily life. Although she was only twenty-four years old when she died, Thrse had an extraordinary spiritual maturity. Father Keating writes about the teachings of Jesus in the parables and then shows what extraordinary insight Thrse had into those enigmatic sayings. According to Father Keating, St. Thrse tried to live the Gospel precept, "To love one another as I have loved you!" on a daily basis. She believed it was the best program to propose to people because anybody could do it and because the Kingdom of God was, and is, in everyday life and in what we, as individuals, do with it. As Father Keating shows, St. Thrse's teaching continues to reveal to us that if we only build up instead of tear down others and fully and lovingly trust that Christ is with us until the end of time we will be transformed.

Author Biography

Fr. Thomas Keating was a founding member and the spiritual guide of Contemplative Outreach. He served on Contemplative Outreach's Board of Trustees since the organization's beginning and served as the Chairman of the Board. Fr. Keating was one of the principal architects and teachers of the Christian contemplative prayer movement. He was the author of many books, including Open Mind, Open Heart; Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit; and Invitation to Love. He lived for much of his life at St. Joseph's Abbey, Massachusetts, and St. Benedict's Monastery, Snowmass, Colorado. He died in 2019.

Review

12 March 2001 Abbot Thomas Keating recasts St. Therest of Lisieux in the transformative power of six of Jesus's parables and of his own monastic spirituality of centering prayer. The combination of Therese, Jesus, parable, contemplation, and Abbot Keating is original and engaging. Abbot Keating's writing is calm, delicate, beautiful.

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